TWO RED OAKERS DROWN IN VIKING LAKE
MOTHER OF TWO AND NEIGHBOR CHILD VICTIMS
MRS. JACK SILKETT AND PATTY FOX IN WATER TOGETHER
STANTON - Montgomery County's first drownings in 11 years took place Sunday afternoon at Viking Lake near here. Taken from about five feet of water some 30 feet from shore were the bodies and Mrs. Jack Silkett, 26, and Patty Fox, 12, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Fox, Red Oak. She had gone to the lake with the Silkett family.
The beach was crowded at the time and there were a number of swimmers in the immediate locality where the bodies were found, but no one reported any cries or signs of a struggle.
First notice of the tragedy came when youngsters in the water saw the body of Mrs. Silkett. It was brought to shore by Dick C.., 21, Creston, formerly of Villisca, where it was identified by her husband and two children, who had been on the beach.
While artificial respiration was being given to Mrs. Silkett, Mr. Silkett remembered that Patty had been in the water with his wife. Nearly a half hour had elapsed from the time Mrs. Silkett's body was brought to shore.
HUMAN CHAIN
When Patty could not be located, a human chain of volunteers from the beach wadded out in the lake and the girl's body was found only a few feet away from where Mrs. Silkett's body had been recovered. Jim R..., Darwin I..., and Jon H..., all of Stanton, found the body.
Artificial respiration was also given to the second victim, but proved of no use. The Stanton and Red Oak Rescue Units and a Red Oak doctor were called to the scene.
Coroner, Delaine Sellergren, Red Oak, said there were indications that Mrs. Silkett was alive when taken from the water.
He said that at the request of relatives an autopsy was conducted today and this showed her death to be definitely the result of drowning with no heart attack involved. It had been theorized she may have gone to the aid of Patty and suffered a heart attack.
NOT SUPERVISED
Swimming at Viking Lake, dedicated last October, is not supervised. Custodian Don Balky said a similar policy is followed at several other state lakes.
Dowlen Jones, Red Cross water safety chairman here, said a check of the program's records reveal neither Mrs. Silkett nor Patty Fox had been enrolled in the water safety courses here.
Last Montomgery County drowning was in 1947 when an Emerson man fell from the railroad bridge near Red Oak while working there on bridge repairs following the 1947 flood. He was seriously injured in the fall and there has been some doubt whether that death should be listed as a drowning, according to Water Safety Chairman Jones.
Prior to that, the last drowning in the county was in early 1930's when a Red Oak youngster drowned in Red Oak Creek here, Jones stated.
FUNERAL RITES
Funeral services for Mrs. Silkett will be held Wednesday, August 6, at 2 p.m. at the Sellergren Funeral Home. Other arrangements were not complete today.
Evelina Louise, daughter of Oral and Inez Durham, was born March 4, 1932 at Red Oak and was married here in 1950 to Jack Silkett. She was a member of the Salvation Army.
She is survived by her husband, two children, three sisters, a step-sister, one brother, father and stepmother.
Red Oak Express, Red Oak, Iowa, Monday, August 4, 1958, page 1
Contributor: Marty & Harley (47240226)
MOTHER OF TWO AND NEIGHBOR CHILD VICTIMS
MRS. JACK SILKETT AND PATTY FOX IN WATER TOGETHER
STANTON - Montgomery County's first drownings in 11 years took place Sunday afternoon at Viking Lake near here. Taken from about five feet of water some 30 feet from shore were the bodies and Mrs. Jack Silkett, 26, and Patty Fox, 12, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Fox, Red Oak. She had gone to the lake with the Silkett family.
The beach was crowded at the time and there were a number of swimmers in the immediate locality where the bodies were found, but no one reported any cries or signs of a struggle.
First notice of the tragedy came when youngsters in the water saw the body of Mrs. Silkett. It was brought to shore by Dick C.., 21, Creston, formerly of Villisca, where it was identified by her husband and two children, who had been on the beach.
While artificial respiration was being given to Mrs. Silkett, Mr. Silkett remembered that Patty had been in the water with his wife. Nearly a half hour had elapsed from the time Mrs. Silkett's body was brought to shore.
HUMAN CHAIN
When Patty could not be located, a human chain of volunteers from the beach wadded out in the lake and the girl's body was found only a few feet away from where Mrs. Silkett's body had been recovered. Jim R..., Darwin I..., and Jon H..., all of Stanton, found the body.
Artificial respiration was also given to the second victim, but proved of no use. The Stanton and Red Oak Rescue Units and a Red Oak doctor were called to the scene.
Coroner, Delaine Sellergren, Red Oak, said there were indications that Mrs. Silkett was alive when taken from the water.
He said that at the request of relatives an autopsy was conducted today and this showed her death to be definitely the result of drowning with no heart attack involved. It had been theorized she may have gone to the aid of Patty and suffered a heart attack.
NOT SUPERVISED
Swimming at Viking Lake, dedicated last October, is not supervised. Custodian Don Balky said a similar policy is followed at several other state lakes.
Dowlen Jones, Red Cross water safety chairman here, said a check of the program's records reveal neither Mrs. Silkett nor Patty Fox had been enrolled in the water safety courses here.
Last Montomgery County drowning was in 1947 when an Emerson man fell from the railroad bridge near Red Oak while working there on bridge repairs following the 1947 flood. He was seriously injured in the fall and there has been some doubt whether that death should be listed as a drowning, according to Water Safety Chairman Jones.
Prior to that, the last drowning in the county was in early 1930's when a Red Oak youngster drowned in Red Oak Creek here, Jones stated.
FUNERAL RITES
Funeral services for Mrs. Silkett will be held Wednesday, August 6, at 2 p.m. at the Sellergren Funeral Home. Other arrangements were not complete today.
Evelina Louise, daughter of Oral and Inez Durham, was born March 4, 1932 at Red Oak and was married here in 1950 to Jack Silkett. She was a member of the Salvation Army.
She is survived by her husband, two children, three sisters, a step-sister, one brother, father and stepmother.
Red Oak Express, Red Oak, Iowa, Monday, August 4, 1958, page 1
Contributor: Marty & Harley (47240226)
TWO RED OAKERS DROWN IN VIKING LAKE
MOTHER OF TWO AND NEIGHBOR CHILD VICTIMS
MRS. JACK SILKETT AND PATTY FOX IN WATER TOGETHER
STANTON - Montgomery County's first drownings in 11 years took place Sunday afternoon at Viking Lake near here. Taken from about five feet of water some 30 feet from shore were the bodies and Mrs. Jack Silkett, 26, and Patty Fox, 12, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Fox, Red Oak. She had gone to the lake with the Silkett family.
The beach was crowded at the time and there were a number of swimmers in the immediate locality where the bodies were found, but no one reported any cries or signs of a struggle.
First notice of the tragedy came when youngsters in the water saw the body of Mrs. Silkett. It was brought to shore by Dick C.., 21, Creston, formerly of Villisca, where it was identified by her husband and two children, who had been on the beach.
While artificial respiration was being given to Mrs. Silkett, Mr. Silkett remembered that Patty had been in the water with his wife. Nearly a half hour had elapsed from the time Mrs. Silkett's body was brought to shore.
HUMAN CHAIN
When Patty could not be located, a human chain of volunteers from the beach wadded out in the lake and the girl's body was found only a few feet away from where Mrs. Silkett's body had been recovered. Jim R..., Darwin I..., and Jon H..., all of Stanton, found the body.
Artificial respiration was also given to the second victim, but proved of no use. The Stanton and Red Oak Rescue Units and a Red Oak doctor were called to the scene.
Coroner, Delaine Sellergren, Red Oak, said there were indications that Mrs. Silkett was alive when taken from the water.
He said that at the request of relatives an autopsy was conducted today and this showed her death to be definitely the result of drowning with no heart attack involved. It had been theorized she may have gone to the aid of Patty and suffered a heart attack.
NOT SUPERVISED
Swimming at Viking Lake, dedicated last October, is not supervised. Custodian Don Balky said a similar policy is followed at several other state lakes.
Dowlen Jones, Red Cross water safety chairman here, said a check of the program's records reveal neither Mrs. Silkett nor Patty Fox had been enrolled in the water safety courses here.
Last Montomgery County drowning was in 1947 when an Emerson man fell from the railroad bridge near Red Oak while working there on bridge repairs following the 1947 flood. He was seriously injured in the fall and there has been some doubt whether that death should be listed as a drowning, according to Water Safety Chairman Jones.
Prior to that, the last drowning in the county was in early 1930's when a Red Oak youngster drowned in Red Oak Creek here, Jones stated.
FUNERAL RITES
Funeral services for Mrs. Silkett will be held Wednesday, August 6, at 2 p.m. at the Sellergren Funeral Home. Other arrangements were not complete today.
Evelina Louise, daughter of Oral and Inez Durham, was born March 4, 1932 at Red Oak and was married here in 1950 to Jack Silkett. She was a member of the Salvation Army.
She is survived by her husband, two children, three sisters, a step-sister, one brother, father and stepmother.
Red Oak Express, Red Oak, Iowa, Monday, August 4, 1958, page 1
Contributor: Marty & Harley (47240226)
MOTHER OF TWO AND NEIGHBOR CHILD VICTIMS
MRS. JACK SILKETT AND PATTY FOX IN WATER TOGETHER
STANTON - Montgomery County's first drownings in 11 years took place Sunday afternoon at Viking Lake near here. Taken from about five feet of water some 30 feet from shore were the bodies and Mrs. Jack Silkett, 26, and Patty Fox, 12, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Fox, Red Oak. She had gone to the lake with the Silkett family.
The beach was crowded at the time and there were a number of swimmers in the immediate locality where the bodies were found, but no one reported any cries or signs of a struggle.
First notice of the tragedy came when youngsters in the water saw the body of Mrs. Silkett. It was brought to shore by Dick C.., 21, Creston, formerly of Villisca, where it was identified by her husband and two children, who had been on the beach.
While artificial respiration was being given to Mrs. Silkett, Mr. Silkett remembered that Patty had been in the water with his wife. Nearly a half hour had elapsed from the time Mrs. Silkett's body was brought to shore.
HUMAN CHAIN
When Patty could not be located, a human chain of volunteers from the beach wadded out in the lake and the girl's body was found only a few feet away from where Mrs. Silkett's body had been recovered. Jim R..., Darwin I..., and Jon H..., all of Stanton, found the body.
Artificial respiration was also given to the second victim, but proved of no use. The Stanton and Red Oak Rescue Units and a Red Oak doctor were called to the scene.
Coroner, Delaine Sellergren, Red Oak, said there were indications that Mrs. Silkett was alive when taken from the water.
He said that at the request of relatives an autopsy was conducted today and this showed her death to be definitely the result of drowning with no heart attack involved. It had been theorized she may have gone to the aid of Patty and suffered a heart attack.
NOT SUPERVISED
Swimming at Viking Lake, dedicated last October, is not supervised. Custodian Don Balky said a similar policy is followed at several other state lakes.
Dowlen Jones, Red Cross water safety chairman here, said a check of the program's records reveal neither Mrs. Silkett nor Patty Fox had been enrolled in the water safety courses here.
Last Montomgery County drowning was in 1947 when an Emerson man fell from the railroad bridge near Red Oak while working there on bridge repairs following the 1947 flood. He was seriously injured in the fall and there has been some doubt whether that death should be listed as a drowning, according to Water Safety Chairman Jones.
Prior to that, the last drowning in the county was in early 1930's when a Red Oak youngster drowned in Red Oak Creek here, Jones stated.
FUNERAL RITES
Funeral services for Mrs. Silkett will be held Wednesday, August 6, at 2 p.m. at the Sellergren Funeral Home. Other arrangements were not complete today.
Evelina Louise, daughter of Oral and Inez Durham, was born March 4, 1932 at Red Oak and was married here in 1950 to Jack Silkett. She was a member of the Salvation Army.
She is survived by her husband, two children, three sisters, a step-sister, one brother, father and stepmother.
Red Oak Express, Red Oak, Iowa, Monday, August 4, 1958, page 1
Contributor: Marty & Harley (47240226)
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